Having something lost returned was naturally cause for happiness.

However, the person returning it was Xiao Shu, which carried a somewhat strange feeling. Jiang Xuening wasn’t very accustomed to it. Fortunately, Xiao Shu also had no intention of using this as an excuse to speak with her. After returning the sachet, she left.

So Jiang Xuening was happy to be at ease and continued watching Zhou Baoying and Fang Miao play chess.

This round they were playing Go.

Fang Miao’s move had entered deep contemplation and couldn’t be decided for quite a while.

Zhou Baoying looked utterly bored. She also grabbed some peanuts from the side to shell, then turned her head to glance at Yao Xi and You Yue, asking curiously, “Did you two elder sisters also go admire the plum blossoms?”

Only after Xiao Shu left did Yao Xi breathe a sigh of relief. But hearing Zhou Baoying’s question, her heart couldn’t help but tighten again. She forced herself to smile as if nothing had happened, “We went too, but didn’t look for very long. We spent most of the time talking with the ladies from each palace.”

Zhou Baoying then said, “Oh.”

She seemed to want to say something, but just at that moment Fang Miao placed a stone with a “clack.” Her gaze immediately shifted away, and she clapped her hands laughing, “I knew Sister Fang Miao would play there! Watch me eat half your territory!”

Fang Miao looked at where her finger had fallen and immediately cried out anxiously, “You! How can you play there? No, no, I haven’t thought it through yet. I’m not playing there!”

“Once a stone is placed, it cannot be taken back, Elder Sister!”

Having finally won another game, Zhou Baoying absolutely wouldn’t allow her to easily take back her move. The two began tussling over the chessboard.

Having just experienced such danger, Yao Xi felt mentally and physically exhausted. She pretended nothing was wrong and watched in Flowing Water Pavilion for a while before claiming she was tired and walking outside.

Seeing this, You Yue’s gaze flashed and she followed along.

When Jiang Xuehui came out of her room, she happened to see the two of them returning one after another and lightly greeted them. But perhaps because she had previously refuted them to their faces, both their expressions looked rather unfriendly, displaying a somewhat strangely cold indifference.

At this time, she didn’t pay it much mind.

By the time she returned to her room after the evening meal, noticing the scratch on Jiang Xuening’s sachet, she asked, “What happened to this sachet?”

Jiang Xuening lowered her head to glance at it, saying, “Probably carelessly dropped it. When Xiao Shu picked it up and returned it to me, it was already like this. It must have gotten scraped somewhere.”

Sachets and handkerchiefs were all young ladies’ private items.

She was accustomed to mixing about outside and didn’t pay much attention to such small details. But Jiang Xuehui had been raised in the inner quarters of a great household. Hearing this, her brow lightly furrowed as she said, “When did you lose it?”

Originally, Jiang Xuening’s relationship with her wasn’t close. Unless necessary, the two of them didn’t speak.

But now Jiang Xuehui was actively asking.

After thinking carefully, Jiang Xuening understood what she was worried about. After all, if such a private item passed through someone’s hands in the palace and some matter between men and women was drawn out, falling into the eyes of someone with ulterior motives would be enough to create a major incident.

She didn’t respond, only untied the sachet again and directly opened it to look.

Inside still contained dried flowers and fragrance chips—nothing extra had been added.

However, within the originally delicate scent of sweet flag, there was now faintly an additional penetrating cool fragrance…

Extremely subtle, but still discernible.

Jiang Xuening’s heart immediately became slightly alert. What floated up in her mind was the plum blossom viewing banquet in the palace today that she hadn’t attended. From leaving this morning until eating dinner in the evening, the places she had stayed or passed through were only from Yangzhi Study to Fengchen Palace, plus those palace paths in between. She absolutely hadn’t encountered any plum blossoms in the middle, much less tiger-hoof plum blossoms which bloomed earliest…

Unless Xiao Shu used plum fragrance.

But to her knowledge, she didn’t.

Jiang Xuehui had only wanted to ask when it was lost, fearing someone in the palace would use this sachet to make an issue. She hadn’t expected that after Jiang Xuening opened the sachet and sniffed it slightly, she would furrow her brow tightly.

She inevitably worried, “Something wrong?”

Jiang Xuening’s eyes were covered with a layer of shadow. She only looked toward outside the entrance of Yangzhi Study and the palace path beyond. Without answering, she tied up the sachet. Seeing no one else around, she went straight down the steps, looking carefully all along the way.

Reaching the entrance of Yangzhi Study, she suddenly recalled something and her steps stopped.

The palace gates in the palace were all made of wood.

At this moment, the two doors hadn’t yet been closed, with round copper rings hanging on both sides. But on the left door, at about the same height as a person’s waist, a wooden splinter protruded with several strands of extremely fine moon-white silk hanging from it.

Looking carefully, Jiang Xuening discovered it.

She lightly raised her finger to remove those few silk strands, then spread open the sachet in her palm. The scrape mark on the sachet was still fresh, and the moon-white base color was exactly the same as these fine silk threads.

Thinking back, when she had returned from Fengchen Palace to Yangzhi Study earlier, she had indeed been leaning against this door looking back.

Thinking this way, it must have been lost then.

At the time, she had encountered You Yue and Yao Xi but hadn’t seen anyone else. Yet this sachet was ultimately picked up by Xiao Shu, and it also carried traces of plum fragrance on it…

Seeing her posture, Jiang Xuehui knew something had happened.

But Jiang Xuening seemed to know what she wanted to say and only said, “You don’t need to worry about it.”

Having said this, she took the sachet back to her room.

After experiencing that previous incident of being framed when Yangzhi Study was searched, Jiang Xuening had become much more careful. After all, she was no longer the Empress from her previous life—even others’ minor schemes could trap her in danger.

Whether there were suspicious circumstances in this matter, that remained to be discussed.

What was important was: if there were suspicious circumstances, what would be implicated?

Lights were lit in the room. The sachet and that silk thread were both placed under the lamp. Jiang Xuening sat before the desk, looking for a long time.

The night had deepened.

Soon she heard the laughing and noisy sounds from Flowing Water Pavilion quiet down, immediately followed by the sounds of Fang Miao and Zhou Baoying bidding farewell. They had apparently finally finished their chess game and agreed to continue the battle tomorrow.

At this time, Jiang Xuening thought: Rather than sitting here thinking and suspecting, she might as well directly find Xiao Shu tomorrow and ask first to seize the initiative. After all, things not done were simply not done. If others wanted to frame and slander, there would inevitably be imperfect or incomplete aspects that would certainly reveal flaws and be discovered.

Moreover, Xiao Shu truly wasn’t muddled.

Having made up her mind, she planned to wash and rest.

Unexpectedly, just as she stood up, knocking sounds came from outside.

“Knock knock.”

Someone lightly knocked on her door, followed by Zhou Baoying’s soft, sweet voice: “Sister Ning, are you asleep? The pastries in my room are all gone. Do you have any left?”

Jiang Xuening immediately froze.

Whether in her previous life or this one, her interactions with Zhou Baoying hadn’t been deep. She only vaguely remembered that this young lady later married Prince Yanping and didn’t think about various matters, spending her days researching food and drink—uncommonly carefree and at ease.

Looking for food in the middle of the night?

She went forward to open the door, saying, “There’s still some. Shall I get you some?”

Zhou Baoying had just finished playing chess with Fang Miao and returned. Standing outside the door somewhat bashfully, as if asking someone for food like this was very embarrassing, when she saw Jiang Xuening open the door for her, she beamed with joy and hopped one step into the room, saying, “Thank you, Sister Ning.”

The palace pastries were all given according to regulation.

Zhou Baoying loved to eat and her mouth never stopped from dawn to dusk. Her own room’s pastries being completely eaten was a common occurrence.

But Jiang Xuening was the complete opposite.

After entering the palace, she ate very little, not being very satisfied with the current palace cooks.

She placed her several dishes of pastries all into a food box, saying, “I don’t like eating them either. Why don’t I give them all to you?”

Zhou Baoying bit her lip: “Ah, that’s not quite right…”

Though she said this, her hand involuntarily reached toward the food box Jiang Xuening passed to her, clutching it tightly. Her two eyes curved like crescent moons—she was simply bubbling over with happiness.

Those who give food are all good people.

So facing Jiang Xuening, compliments poured out in basketfuls: “I knew Sister Ning was beautiful with a kind heart, and cares for me so much! I also saw that sachet Sister Xiao picked up and returned to you today. But at that time I was standing on the corridor, and Sister Yao Xi and Sister You Yue were at the doorway—they had already picked it up first. I thought they would return it to you, so I didn’t go over. When they came back without mentioning returning the sachet to you, I was puzzled for a bit. Fortunately, Sister Xiao actually brought it out. Really, if I had picked it up, at least now I wouldn’t be eating Sister’s pastries for free…”

Her two brows locked together, assuming a somewhat worried little appearance.

When she spoke, it was soft and sweet, but her speaking speed wasn’t very slow, like pouring out beans, with its own natural rhythm.

This string of words passed by so quickly it almost didn’t give one time to react.

But when Jiang Xuening realized what she had said, she suddenly raised her head to look at her, already slightly stunned, her heart greatly shaken!

But Zhou Baoying seemed completely oblivious to this. Clutching the food box with both hands, looking somewhat distressed and troubled, as if making a firm resolution, she bit her teeth and said to Jiang Xuening, “How about this! Having taken Sister’s pastries this time, when the palace servants bring pastries next time, I’ll share half of my portion with Sister—absolutely no backing out!”

Jiang Xuening: “…”

Zhou Baoying took it as her agreement: “Then it’s settled! Thank you, Sister. I’m… going back now?”

Only then did Jiang Xuening smile faintly, saying, “Go back. Rest early.”

Zhou Baoying hopped once more and jumped out the door, waving to Jiang Xuening: “Sister, you rest early too!”

Having said this, she carried the food box to her own room in high spirits. Halfway there, she couldn’t resist lifting the lid to take out an almond cookie and stuff it in her mouth—clearly she had been craving it terribly.

Jiang Xuening watched her back disappear around the corner of the long corridor before lowering her eyes and slowly closing the door.

Her thoughts suddenly churned.

So it really was Yao Xi and You Yue…

However, she had suspected this earlier, so hearing it from Zhou Baoying’s mouth wasn’t very surprising. What surprised her was Zhou Baoying secretly slipping over to speak with her at all.

It seemed unintentional, but if she hadn’t previously detected the suspicious circumstances of this matter, these words would have been enough to awaken her and make her vigilant.

This little girl…

Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but smile. Though she liked eating and drinking, she was ultimately the chess fanatic who could kill Fang Miao on the chessboard leaving not even armor behind. She wasn’t as foolish as she appeared on the surface. This cleverness—ordinary people didn’t have it.

The next day, getting up early to go to class at Fengchen Palace, Jiang Xuening had a face as if nothing had happened.

Xiao Shu also had her usual appearance.

But Yao Xi seemed to have not slept well, somewhat listless and lacking energy.

Chen Shuyi even teased her: “Looking at this little appearance so haggard—what were you thinking about at night? Oh my, I forgot—our Miss Yao Xi is different. She’s someone whose marriage is already arranged, so naturally she has more to think about.”

If she had said this before, Yao Xi would definitely have blushed all over her face.

What would follow would be everyone frolicking about, the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant.

But unexpectedly, hearing these words, Yao Xi’s expression immediately changed, even becoming quite ugly. She raised her head to look directly at Chen Shuyi, actually carrying a trace of anger.

Chen Shuyi immediately realized.

The smile on her face stiffened. She stopped laughing and after hesitating a moment said, “What, didn’t you decide not to break off the engagement with that Zhang Zhe?”

Everyone in the hall was clear about her and Zhang Zhe’s engagement. At first, they knew she wanted to break the engagement, but later for some reason it wasn’t broken off. After accidentally seeing Zhang Zhe at Cining Palace, she even seemed quite satisfied with him.

Talented scholar and beautiful lady—though not matching in family status, if the woman had no complaints, they could still become a good match.

By common sense, this marriage was naturally settled.

Even if there was a letter from Zhang Zhe initiating the broken engagement, no one thought it was a problem.

Including Xiao Shu, everyone’s gazes turned over, looking toward Yao Xi.

Yao Xi’s fingers placed on the table clenched tightly.

She only felt that these curious gazes all concealed malicious probing and scrutiny, even carrying a kind of faint expectation of watching a good show. She had already seen Zhang Zhe’s resolute letter breaking the engagement, and had even been coldly rebuked by her father because of jokes made in Fengchen Palace!

Thinking about it made her hate.

What she hated even more was that Zhang Zhe actually dared to break off the engagement with her!

Someone like her, a young lady of a great family—where would she put her face in the future?

At this moment, everyone’s concerned gazes not only didn’t ease the awkwardness in her heart, but instead intensified the resentment in her heart.

But this kind of matter she absolutely wouldn’t willingly speak of.

What young lady would be willing to frankly say she had been jilted?

Yao Xi bit her teeth and smiled at Chen Shuyi, without being polite, saying, “That Zhang Zhe doesn’t know good from bad. Coming from a small household, even with a talented appearance, he seems shabby. Moreover, we had someone do fortune-telling—he has the fate of a Heavenly Calamitous Lone Star. So thinking it over, we decided to forget it.”

Everyone exclaimed “Ah” in surprise.

But Jiang Xuening had personally heard Zhang Zhe say he would initiate breaking off the engagement. Now hearing what Yao Xi said, it sounded as if she had been the one to initiate breaking Zhang Zhe’s engagement. And opening her mouth, she actually said Zhang Zhe had “the fate of a Heavenly Calamitous Lone Star”!

How was this different from what she had discussed with You Yue that day?

Her expression cooled slightly.

But Yao Xi looked at her deliberately in a provocative manner, saying meaningfully, “However, people I don’t fancy, those from small households probably all scramble to get. So even with the broken engagement, that Zhang Zhe might be able to find someone quite good. Though not necessarily comparable to me, who knows—the pot might find its lid, catching someone’s eye!”

Others heard in confusion.

Only Jiang Xuening clearly understood these words were cursing her. Her chest swelled with anger for a moment. She wanted to flare up, but the other party hadn’t named names. If she jumped out, it would seem as if she truly had some unspeakable relationship with Zhang Zhe, playing right into their hands.

Just at this time, the teacher for class arrived, so she forcibly suppressed this fire in her chest.

Only the more she suppressed it, the more this fire blazed.

Today’s lessons were calligraphy and etiquette. Throughout, her expression never improved.

The teachers on the platform would glance at her and think they had taught something wrong. After learning that Jiang Xuening had driven away two previous teachers, they all trembled with fear, afraid they would be the next to suffer. So they didn’t come to trouble her.

When class ended and Jiang Xuening was about to leave the hall, Yao Xi also happened to walk up.

She didn’t want to yield, and Yao Xi didn’t want to yield either.

The two squeezed past each other.

Jiang Xuening’s temper flared. Her brow furrowed and she directly pushed her once, saying without the slightest courtesy, “I was walking in front—what are you rushing for? In a hurry to be reborn?”

Yao Xi had also today been suddenly asked about the marriage matter by Chen Shuyi, recalling that incident of Zhang Zhe breaking the engagement with hatred. Her suspicions rising, she always felt this matter was related to Jiang Xuening. So unconsciously she wanted to oppose her and wouldn’t yield, forgetting what kind of temperament Jiang Xuening herself had—one that absolutely wouldn’t tolerate being wronged, igniting at the slightest spark.

With that push, she nearly stumbled and fell!

The teachers in the hall hadn’t yet left, and palace servants stood to the side. Seeing this scene, they were simply stunned, completely unable to believe someone’s temper was this explosive, flaring up directly before everyone’s eyes!

Even Yao Xi herself hadn’t expected it.

She was supported by someone and only then stood steady. After reacting, she was greatly enraged: “Jiang Xuening, what do you mean!”

Jiang Xuening sneered coldly: “Meaning I want to mess with you.”

Shen Zhiyi hadn’t walked that quickly and was still behind them. She didn’t know what previous grievances and entanglements the two had. Looking at this scene, even she was stunned for a moment.

Others all secretly observed her expression.

Yao Xi wanted to compete with Jiang Xuening, but looking back at Shen Zhiyi, who was paying attention to the situation’s development, she was extremely wary. She withdrew the finger pointing at Jiang Xuening and said hatefully, “Those who don’t act like thieves don’t have guilty consciences. Of course those who act like petty people in the shadows become ashamed and enraged.”

Jiang Xuening let out a light snort: “No need to point at mulberry trees and curse locust trees. I advise you to restrain yourself better. If you’re jilted, obediently tuck your tail and behave. After all, it was one fated connection ending on good terms. Others won’t spread it everywhere. But if you desperately try to save face and won’t let others have peace, that person also has a thousand, ten thousand ways to make you uncomfortable. If you dare go out and talk nonsense for even one sentence, I dare let the entire capital know what you did to be jilted!”

Jilted!

So Yao Xi was actually the one who was jilted?

Hadn’t she previously said with complete confidence that Zhang Zhe breaking the engagement was to avoid implicating her, and as long as she declined, this marriage would definitely work out?

Everyone who heard Jiang Xuening’s words was stunned.

Looking at Yao Xi again, their gazes became somewhat subtle—some sympathetic, some hard to express.

Yao Xi completely hadn’t expected Jiang Xuening would be so impolite, saying this matter before everyone. Being looked at by everyone’s gazes, her face alternated between green and red. She was so angry her body trembled directly.

Tears pattered down.

Young ladies naturally cared about face. Being slapped in the face publicly, she was naturally extremely aggrieved.

But Jiang Xuening had finally vented her anger. Too lazy to even look at her again, she flicked her sleeve and directly left, heading toward the side hall.

Anyway, she was tyrannical by nature—others could say what they wanted.

It was just that she, this person, kept her word and followed through!

If Yao Xi dared to do those wretched, despicable things from her previous life to slander and suppress Zhang Zhe, even if she had to give up leaving the capital in this life to stir things up in this slaughter field, she would fight her to the bitter end and make her pay the price!

Inside the side hall was a warmth throughout. The underfloor heating had been lit in advance, and even the water for brewing tea had been placed on the stove beforehand.

Xie Wei had arrived early.

Beside a small food box, a dish of peach pastries sat at the corner of the tea table. But he was looking at the pale greenish tea liquor in the cup before him, somewhat lost in thought.

When Jiang Xuening pushed open the door and entered, he turned his head and saw her.

Only compared to usual, this face full of cold, icy appearance looked as if she bore a grudge against someone.

Xie Wei lightly raised his eyebrows.

He wanted to ask again: Who’s provoked you now?

But thinking he had asked this question yesterday, he didn’t speak.

But Jiang Xuening felt her anger was blazing. She walked over and first bowed in respect to Xie Wei. Upon rising, seeing him observing her expression, she knew her emotions were showing on her face. Fearing Xie Wei would misunderstand, she said, “I just quarreled with a despicable person. Teacher, please don’t blame me.”

Xie Wei: “…”

Using those two words—she was truly angry to the point of losing her head. Ning the Second never usually said such things. In other words, to be worthy of the words “despicable person,” the matter must be very serious.

Pondering her belly full of fire, it also didn’t seem like she could calm her mind to play the qin. So he pointed to the seat opposite him, saying, “Sit.”

Jiang Xuening sullenly walked over and sat down.

Xie Wei looked at her face full of bitter resentment. After sitting down, she didn’t move. So he lowered his eyes, drank a sip of tea, and said flatly, “Waiting for me to pour you tea?”

The tea had been brewed before Jiang Xuening came and poured into the fairness cup.

Only then did Jiang Xuening react.

In the past, when Xie Wei poured her tea, it was the tea brewer’s etiquette. She had only drunk it twice and hadn’t paid attention. Being reminded by him like this, even the back of her head cooled down. She quickly picked up the fairness cup. Seeing Xie Wei had set down his tea cup, she very obediently first refilled his, then turned to pour herself a cup.

She didn’t dare speak, holding the tea cup with both hands and drinking a small sip.

Today it was Monkey King tea.

Clearly also imperial tribute from the palace. It entered the mouth smoothly with a sweet aftertaste lingering between teeth and cheeks. After drinking, one could still smell a fragrance carrying some sweetness…

Mm, sweetness?

Was Monkey King tea this flavor?

Jiang Xuening suddenly froze, her eyeballs rolling. In one glance, she saw that dish of peach pastries beside her.

Same as yesterday.

That flavor—she found it somewhat disagreeable and didn’t want to try it a second time.

After one glance, she withdrew her gaze and continued drinking tea.

Xie Wei said, “In palace affairs, restraint is paramount. Yet you’re making enemies everywhere. For what reason did you quarrel with someone?”

Jiang Xuening muttered, “I also know my temperament isn’t suitable for staying in the palace, but you all didn’t give me a choice either.”

As she spoke, that sweet fragrance drifted over again.

She couldn’t resist and turned to glance at that dish of peach pastries again: Clearly so unpalatable, yet the fragrance is so enticing—what’s going on? The palace cooks are just full of flowery tricks and bad intentions! One must have backbone—absolutely mustn’t reach out! Otherwise, in a bit, if she can’t finish eating and has to force herself to stuff it down before Xie Wei, it would be absolutely tragic!

Xie Wei raised his eyebrow: “Are you blaming me?”

Jiang Xuening’s mind wandered. She didn’t even remember what she had just said. Instinctively saying “Ah,” she immediately said, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.”

But Xie Wei’s gaze shifted toward that dish of peach pastries.

He had already noticed Jiang Xuening had glanced at it more than once. He said, “If you want to eat it, just take it. No one’s restraining you.”

“No, no, no, I’m not hungry.”

Jiang Xuening immediately shook her head, expressing refusal.

Xie Wei: “…”